For You, 12 Years From Now and Counting…
by doublecheeseburger
Summary: "I'll wait."
1. Chapter 1

**Okay. I was bored and this idea came up all of sudden. So, I decided to give it a go. Hope it will be satisfying enough to some. **

**This story will be short. I won't go dragging this because I want it to be a fun story. **

**Disclaimer: Mai Hime isn't mine, obviously.**

* * *

**For You, 12 Years From Now and Counting…**

"Natsuki..."

_No—no way..._

"Will you marry me?"

_You've got to be freaking kidding me..._

* * *

Loud clanking sound echoed across the room—it was a wrench, scattered along with other mechanic tools. She pulled at the towel which wrapped around her neck and wiped the sweats that slowly trickling down to her chin.

"I can't believe it..."

"Me neither."

She reached out for a ratchet and slowly loosened one bolt before tossing it to the floor again.

"I mean, marriage? Where the hell did she learn all that stuff?"

"Beats me..."

She left the car and walked towards the cabinet, picking up a few tools and a bottle of battery water.

"Kids nowadays... They grow up way too fast than we did..."

She just chuckled at the comment as she walked back to the car, slowly placing down all the things she took from the cabinet onto the floor one by one.

"Kids are just kids... I don't think she even understands the whole meaning of marriage anyway..."

"Well yeah, but don't you think it also could be something you should look forward to?"

Her hand stopped halfway on pouring the battery water—she spun her head around and found the red head wore one of the most evil, erotic grins she had ever seen.

"What the hell, Yuuki? Why should I look forward over something like that?"

Nao just grinned as she straightened her back and crossed her legs like any seductress of a glorious night club would do.

"She's a total catch for a 9-years old kid, you know? Just imagine how she would look like when she reaches her prime age of 20? It will be like an investment! When she reach at her mature period, that would be the time you sow the profit!"

"You sounded exactly like a pedophile right now... And thanks for the offer! I'm not into kids..."

_Yeah... kids. And that's right, you know the drill..._

_I was proposed by a 9-years old girl._

* * *

**Yup, 'Age-Gap'! That's the theme of this story. Hope you guys find it interesting. (^_^)**

**So, review please? Hahahahaha~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow... You guys like this one too? Now I feel obliged to finish this story. Hahahah~ What did I get myself into? **

**Disclaimer: Mai Hime is belonged to Sunrise. *boo***

* * *

**For You, 12 Years From Now and Counting…**

"Natsuki-chan!"

Her feet froze on the spot. From afar, she could hear the approaching footsteps—they came in a very rapid speed and she knew that person was running, or more like sprinting towards her.

_Glomp!_

"Yeah~! I got you!"

Natsuki stumbled forward slightly by the sudden force coming from behind. She sighed when she felt arms circling around her neck.

"Yeah-yeah, you got me..." Natsuki sighed again as she quickly pulled up the girl's thighs which straddling around her waist to avoid her from falling, "Hold on tight!"

The girl just giggled as she tightened her hold around Natsuki's shoulders, "Is Natsuki done with the part-time job?"

Natsuki nodded her head, "Yes, pretty much... Is there anything?" she asked, trying to look at the girl on her back. Crimson eyes glittered in anticipation and she saw a wide grin slowly spreading on the girl's face.

"Can you help me out with my math? I have plenty of homework need to be done by tonight. The teacher wants to see it by tomorrow morning..."

"Okay... but you have to pay me later! I'm not going to do it for free!" It was Natsuki's turn to grin when she saw the brunette haired girl started to scowl cutely.

"But I don't have any money!"

"Well, you certainly need to find a way to pay me though..."

"Can I pay with my body instead?"

That was all it took to make Natsuki almost died by her own saliva. She choked and coughed so hard, her face went blazing red.

"Where the hell did you learn that, Shizuru!? Oh my god!"

Shizuru just giggled at Natsuki's fuming face, slowly raising a finger and she poked on the blushing cheek.

"Natsuki is so cute!"

"I'm not cute and stop being like an old geezer! You're 9 years old, for god sake!" Natsuki barked as she started to walk with Shizuru piggybacking her.

Shizuru just gave off another giggles as she rested her chin on Natsuki's shoulder, closing her eyes. As she inhaled, a distinct scent which came from Natsuki wafted into her senses; a mixture between coffee and something citrusy also a little bit of engine oil—it worked like a charm, always made her calm and relaxed. Her lips unconsciously curved up into a smile.

They went into silence as they walked along the path by the river. The sun was slowly setting, obscuring the area with orange glow. It was one of the things about that small town she had grown to love ever since she placed her feet there. Though it took her around 30 minutes to get to her campus and some of her colleagues were worried that since she was living so far, it might cost her more on her transportation. Well, that was not a burden at all. She got herself a secondhand motorcycle to ride back and forth. Besides, all other expenses were already covered by being a personal tutor to one particular girl.

Natsuki took a glance at the brunette girl on her back. Her eyes were closed, she thought Shizuru was sleeping until,

"Watching me sleep? How romantic..."

It was the second time Natsuki was almost killed by her own saliva.

"Stop pretending like you're asleep or I'll toss you into the river!"

* * *

"Is this the last one?"

"Yes..."

Shizuru's voice was cracking—Natsuki quickly noticed that Shizuru was tired. She glanced at the pile of books on the table. Education was getting difficult each year and slowly became a burden to most children since they had to reach a certain standard to finally being recognized as a brilliant student. Knowing that somehow made her feel sick. At the age as early as 9, Shizuru had been piled with this and that while she remembered when she was at that age, she was still fooling around with her friends.

Growing up in the middle class household with her mother as the sole breadwinner, Natsuki definitely could taste the hardship Shizuru had to go through. She was once in her place. She knew exactly how it felt to be alone when her mother went out for work.

Natsuki flipped through some of the short notes she made earlier in her class. The exam was around the corner—with her part-time job, she had to make a good use of the time she had studying, even though it was only for a few sparse of hours a day. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Shizuru losing to sleep. Shizuru's head jerked up and fell every few seconds as she tried to stay conscious. Natsuki curved up a smile. The half hour was almost up and they both needed a break.

Natsuki reached out a hand and she gently patted the little brunette's head. She could barely hold a smirk when Shizuru instantly jerked her head up—a little drool escaped at the corner of her lips.

"Who told you to sleep while doing homework?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Shizuru clumsily looked for a pen which had been lying forgotten on the tatami floor when she unconsciously slipped it off her hand while she was dozing off. She was about to pick it up when a hand swept it off, away from her reach.

"Let's take a break."

Shizuru blinked a couple of times, quickly shaking her head in disapproval, "No. I want to finish it now."

Natsuki took a deep breath, folding her arms, "You're being stubborn, aren't you? You can hardly hold your eyes open. Just go wash your face and we'll go out for a little walk!"

Shizuru spun around, more like a reflex to look at the clock on the wall, "But it's 9.30, Natsuki…"

"So?"

"It's late!"

"So what?"

Shizuru lowered her head, sighing heavily, "Mama will get angry…"

"She won't." Natsuki smiled reassuringly, "Since I'm the one who's taking you out."

* * *

A couple of red bean popsicle, Shizuru was good for another round of homework but Natsuki decided to stay at the quiet park for a while, waiting for that little brunette to finish off her third popsicle.

"How nice…"

Shizuru was licking on the melting ice as she tilted her head up, meeting Natsuki's stare on hers, "Yes?"

"You're on the third one. You are so damn lucky that you don't have to worry over your weight..." Natsuki sighed, "And I have to get up tomorrow morning to jog the calories out my system!"

"Ara, don't worry! Natsuki's body is amazing."

Natsuki's brows twitched incredulously when she noticed Shizuru's eyes weren't looking at hers but they were trained on her chest instead.

"Oi! Where exactly you're looking at!? Eyes up here!"

"Ehe~!" Shizuru chuckled cutely and it fuelled more fire in Natsuki's head—she slapped her forehead in frustration.

"Don't 'ehe' me! Who influenced you that you become like a dirty old man? Dear god... please return my pure Shizuru-chan back to me..."

"Mou... Natsuki is so mean..." Shizuru pouted, looking a bit offended.

Natsuki frowned as she pointed an accusatory finger and jabbed Shizuru's forehead jokingly, "Me being mean!? I have to! You're 9 years old! You shouldn't act like that!"

Shizuru pouted more, looking away angrily, "If that so, I want to become an adult now!"

Natsuki straightened her back upon hearing Shizuru's words, "Why would you want to do that?"

"So I can make Natsuki my girlfriend..."

"Oh brother..."

Natsuki sighed for the umpteenth times that night as she shook her head, finally giving up with Shizuru's insistent effort of trying to make her as her girlfriend. They went into silence—Shizuru had finished her ice-cream. She fiddled the stick quietly; sometimes glancing over to look at Natsuki who was staring up the dark sky.

"Natsuki does not like me?"

The question completely took her by surprise, Natsuki quickly turned and found Shizuru sulking, "No... It's not like that... I like you!"

And it surprised her even more when Shizuru swooped up her hands and held it close to her chest, staring deeply into her eyes—acting like a scene in a drama series.

"THEN PLEASE BE MY GIRLFRIEND~!"

"AND YOU'LL BE SEEING ME IN JAIL~!"

Both of them were practically yelling to each other. Luckily there weren't many people around the park—Natsuki quietly felt thankful for that. Sighing again, Natsuki patted Shizuru's head and she smiled,

"Seriously Shizuru... I don't think I could ever like you the way you want me to... But I swear to god, being with you made me happier than I've ever been. I'm glad that you like me. Just... please don't grow up too fast..."

Shizuru blinked her luminous crimson eyes in confusion, "Why is that?"

Natsuki rubbed her temple slightly, "Because it will make me feel old..." she sighed again.

"You _ARE_ old!" Shizuru curved up a playful smirk.

An angry vein popped on Natsuki's forehead, "_Excusez-moi?_ I'm only 19 years old, okay? And from all people, I definitely don't want to hear it coming from you!"

"Hey oba-sama..."

"Quiet!"

"Wrinkly old lady..."

"SHADDAP~!"

* * *

"The combination of the strong, ferocious taste... this luxurious looking dish sure leave a refreshing taste in my mouth..."

"So... you mean...?"

"Did you put in toothpaste?"

A loud thud echoed across the room and a crashing sound came after—Shizuru stormed out the kitchen—face flushing so bright and looking obviously furious. Seconds later, Natsuki finally realized that she had been lying on the kitchen floor; her back stung in pain.

It was on Saturday morning—they were supposed to have breakfast together and Shizuru had taken an effort to prepare some of her cooking which she considered as 'masterpiece' to repay Natsuki for staying up late the other day, helping her with the homework. Apparently, the dishes didn't come out as good as she thought it would be and Natsuki took the consequences for commenting on her cooking: a kick on her tummy.

"Shizuru! Come on! I thought you said you want me to be honest!"

"Go away! I hate you!"

Natsuki tried her best to control her laugh. Her hands dropped at her sides as she grinned, "Okay. So you hate me now, huh? Fine. I'll ask Aya-chan out for a movie—"

_BAM~!_

"NO! I'll go with you!" Shizuru was frowning cutely and panting—probably because she had jumped off her bed and dashed to her door as fast as she could.

Natsuki arched one brow, restraining her smile—silently rejoicing her success, "Okay…? I thought you said you hate me?"

The brunette vigorously shook her head, making Natsuki almost slipped a chuckle.

"I would never hate you!"

"Good to hear. Get yourself ready then. We're having breakfast at the mall and then to the movie!"

Seeing the bright smile on the girl's face, Natsuki silently let out a small sigh. Well, she definitely didn't want to deal with a grumpy Shizuru all day long. Sacrifice had to be made.

Besides, going out for a movie didn't sound so bad.

* * *

"Come on, Shizuru, we have to go pay for the food."

Natsuki almost forgot to look back to see if Shizuru was following her, but when she did, she noticed that little brunette had disappeared.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki called, walking with her small bundle of snacks that she had bought from the counter.

"Shizuru? Where are you?" Natsuki called again, worried.

"Natsuki, look!" a voice called her excitedly. Natsuki spun around, to see Shizuru hopping in front of a little vending machine.

"They're selling rings for cheap here!"

Natsuki was curious, walking over with her arms full with snacks. Sure enough, Natsuki saw little plastic rings that looked real, set with stones of all colors as its centerpiece.

"They're pretty..." Natsuki said with a smile, "I like that blue one."

"I like that purple one!" Shizuru said cheerfully. "Purple is awesome."

Natsuki chuckled, but suddenly was surprised as Shizuru pulled out a little purple purse and took out the sufficient coins to drop into the vending machine.

"Are you getting one?" Natsuki asked her.

"Two."

"Huh?"

"For the both of us. Since they're pretty rings."

"Wait, let me pay—"

"No! I'm the one who proposed to you! I should be the one who get to buy the rings!" Shizuru cut off, her tongue sticking out at Natsuki. Easily enough, before Natsuki could even protest again, a ring in a little plastic capsule dropped into the slot, and another one after it.

Two rings. One was a lovely aquamarine and the other a sweet light amethyst, according to the colors Shizuru chose.

"Are we still playing that marriage game?"

"It's not a game! I'm being serious! I want to marry you!"

Much to Natsuki surprise, Shizuru pulled at her left hand and she slipped the aquamarine ring on Natsuki's ring finger. It was a perfect fit and Natsuki had to wonder if it was a total coincidence or a fate just like Shizuru had been gushing about.

"See!? It's perfect! And now, Natsuki needs to put this on me!" Shizuru said as she handed over the amethyst ring to Natsuki.

"Seriously?"

"_Pleaseeeeee_~?"

Natsuki instantly rolled her eyes at the sudden display of startling cuteness in front of her. Finally giving up, she got down to one knee and she took Shizuru's outstretched hand. As much as she wanted to ignore it, Shizuru's hand was trembling and that cute little face was blushing so hard, she worried that Shizuru might pass out for blushing too much. Natsuki couldn't help but to chuckle when she saw Shizuru was being all nervous like a real bride would do.

She gently slipped the ring on Shizuru's finger. It was slightly bigger for her size but it sure looked nice on her. Natsuki smiled, arching one brow playfully,

"Does this make us official?"

"No, not yet!"

Natsuki's brows instantly twitched when she saw Shizuru leaned into her, pouting her lips.

"We have to seal it with a kiss—_KYAH!"_

Shizuru squeaked in pain when Natsuki suddenly pinched at her nose,

"Yeah, in your dreams!"

* * *

"What the hell is on your finger?"

Nao's thin brows knotted into an angry frown when she didn't hear any response from the blunette. The latter was bobbing her head up and down, listening to the CD player so loud that Nao also could hear the beat coming from the earpieces. Nao silently rolled up a few piece of paper,

_SMACK~!_

"What the fu—_NAO_!"

Natsuki snapped instantly, pulling off the earpieces and was ready to climb over the table to kick Nao square on her face when,

"YOU, OVER THERE! BE QUIET! AND PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN THE TABLE!"

Natsuki already had one foot on the table when the librarian barked at her. Her face was fuming; just as red as the color of her sweatshirt and slowly she got back to her seat, glaring at the red head who was trying so hard not to laugh. Nao chuckled quietly and covered her face with a textbook; _'Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions: Law Policy and Practice_.'—reading the title was enough to make Natsuki's head dizzy.

"Why did you do that!?" Natsuki leaned forward, hissing angrily at Nao's mischievous grin. She had to be careful because the librarian was still shooting out icy glares at her direction.

"That!"

"What?"

Nao pointed at the plastic ring around her left ring finger; Natsuki's eyes followed.

"Oh. It's a wedding ring…"

"WHAT THE FU—"

Nao almost yelled but her mouth was quickly cupped by Natsuki when she noticed the librarian turned to look at them.

"You want that old hag kick us out of here? Be quiet, dammit!"

Nao gasped for air when Natsuki finally released her hold around her mouth, "Wedding ring? What the hell?"

Natsuki pinched at the bridge of her nose as she breathed in, "My wife will get angry if I ever take it off..."

Nao's brows furrowed tighter, "Your _wife_? Who!?"

"Shizuru…"

"Oh my god... I'm going to call the child protection service right now. You're creeping me out!" Nao's face crunched in disgust as she shivered—Natsuki tossed a paper ball at her head, feeling annoyed,

"We're just playing around. Don't worry about it!"

Nao shook her head, clearly disagreeing with Natsuki's statement, "But you're leading her on, mutt! She might get the wrong idea about it!"

Natsuki smiled as she reached for the earpieces, "Nah... I doubt that. By the time she gets mature enough, I'm sure she will forget this whole silly game we're having..."

_And god, how wrong I was to think like that..._

* * *

**Okay, review anyone? (^_^)v**


	3. Chapter 3

Hey hey hey! How's it going everyone?

So, this is the latest chapter. It took quite a while for me to update because of my work. Special thanks to my beta, Cornelia for helping me out and a HUGE WELCOME to Kugs too! Thank you so much for the help! *bow*

With that being said, happy reading everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Mai Hime.

* * *

**For You, 12 Years From Now and Counting…**

**Chapter 3**

"BMW M3 moves to the side, he rides up in this tricked out Mitsubishi Eclipse—a spoiler, double exhaust, the works and—mutt, you listening?"

Natsuki drowsily opened her eyes and brought her feet down from the desk. Nao noticed Natsuki was acting a little slow, in terms of comprehension and physical activity. "What time did you get home?"

"Early."

It wasn't a lie. 7.45 a.m. still considered as _early_, right? She only had 2 hours of sleep before her afternoon shift.

"Early as in early in the morning, right? Did my uncle give you another bunch of cars to fix last night?"

Natsuki grabbed a few work orders and flipped through them. Business was slow; not many people went to a mechanic on Saturdays, but the inactivity was a good time to catch up on anything she missed during the week. However, she also had coursework to finish, so the quicker she'd get it done, the better.

"He's old. His vision isn't as good during the day, so he needed my help. Besides, that car was pushed back on schedule. The owner was pissed enough, he threatened to burn this place down if we didn't make it on time."

Nao clicked her tongue, pushing her chair backwards as she stood up and walked to the nearest cabinet.

"You know what the fuck this is?"

Natsuki turned around to look and her eyes widened like saucers, "What the—_put that down, _Nao!"

"This thing is called machete. You know what I'm going to do with this?" Nao grinned wickedly, waving the sharp blade back and forth.

"I know what it is and_ what the fuck?_ You're NOT gonna do anything with that shit. Just put that down! This matter isn't serious enough that you need to kill someone!"

"Well, it certainly is, because that _dumbass_ threatened to burn this place down! Just give me his damn address and I swear he will never see sunlight again!"

Natsuki huffed, stomping her way to the furious red head and snatching the machete, "Don't be ridiculous! He already paid. No need to get all butthurt about what he said!" Natsuki put the machete away into the cupboard and locked it securely. Nao went back to her chair, sitting down with a low growl.

"You're too soft, mutt! People might take advantage of you, 'ya know?"

"Soft, _right_. You didn't know how difficult it was to not hit him with this freaking wrench! Thank god your uncle was here. If not, I don't know what would happen to that guy and his stupid car…" Natsuki shook her head, sighing, "By the way he looks like Chewbacca."

Nao snorted, Natsuki grinned—they eventually burst into hysterical laughter. They slowly fell into silence. A few cars went past the workshop outside, blaring their horns, and from the park nearby, the distant sound of elderly people laughing and children playing could be heard.

Natsuki tilted her head slightly, looking at Nao who was tapping on the keypad of her cellphone—probably texting someone. It wasn't like she cared about the countless relationships (of varying gender) the redhead went through. Nao was one of the most brilliant person she had ever met. If only Nao had put more effort into her studies instead of fooling around with numerous girls and boys in campus, she probably could have earned the Dean's Award without batting an eyelash.

"How's your application going?"

Natsuki blinked a couple of times and finally understood the question, "Oh? I don't know. Haven't heard anything from them…" Natsuki paused, rubbing her chin, "…yet."

Nao shifted in her chair, giving her full attention to Natsuki, who was sitting right across the desk, "Seriously… Why do you have to go _that _far for your studies? You can always earn your degree here in Japan."

Natsuki smiled, knowing the real meaning behind that question. Nao was one of the very few people who she had gotten attached to personally—as family, best friend, partner in crime even—but certainly not in a romantic way. She could never see Nao like that because they knew each other way too well. They couldn't bear breathing in the same room sometimes. Nonetheless, they needed each other in a way that could only be understood by them.

"I have nobody here."

"You got me, _duh_?"

Natsuki chuckled, "Of course, but you know what I mean…"

Nao seemed to ponder momentarily. Then she slapped the desk, "Find a reason to stay!"

"I don't have one!"

"What about Fujino? They're like your family!"

Natsuki closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly, "No they're not. I'm just a person who is living with them for free in exchange for being a personal tutor of Shizuru. It's only a matter of time for Kazumi oba-sama to find someone and remarry or something. I could no longer stay with them if that happened. I'm nobody. Not even blood-related."

Nao was left tongue-tied at Natsuki's words. Her face contorted into a scowl. Clearly Nao was displeased with Natsuki's decision, but she didn't have any more arguments to counter with. She knew her—once Natsuki made up her mind on something, it was impossible to change her decision. It was almost impossible, unless something inevitable happened.

"What if you're not accepted?"

"Then get ready to puke your stomach out, because you're going to be sick of seeing me every day!"

They laughed loudly—not even realizing there was someone walking into the workshop.

"Good afternoon!"

Both Nao and Natsuki turned to look at the entrance, and a little surprise by the unexpected visit. Natsuki was the first to get off her chair, "Kazumi oba-sama! What brings you here?" She asked as she walked towards the older woman, smiling brightly.

The older woman who was in her mid-thirties smiled as she bowed slightly at Nao, who was standing behind the desk, "I was on my way to work but I thought I would drop by. You're not busy today, Natsuki-chan?"

Natsuki quickly shook her head, "No, I'm not for the time being. Is there anything?"

Kazumi smiled again and slowly reached for the small bag she brought along. She took out an envelope, reading it and smiling again before she handed it over to Natsuki.

"What is this?" Natsuki hesitantly took the envelope, somewhat nervous at the impression Kazumi was giving.

"Read it. I was going to keep it at home until you were done with work today, but I couldn't let Shizuru find this."

Natsuki's brows drew together into a soft frown as she opened the envelope. The seal was broken, Kazumi probably read it earlier. From the look on her face, Natsuki wasn't sure what to think. The anticipation was killing her as she unfolded the letter. At first, she only scanned the letter briefly. There was a letterhead—a crest or an emblem of something—Natsuki's eyes instantly widened at the sight of that crest. She quickly turned to look at Kazumi who was clasping her hands together, grinning in excitement.

"I got it?"

"You got it!"

Natsuki's jaw dropped slightly—still couldn't believe the news until Nao approached from behind and seized the letter,

"Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to receive an Honors Scholarship of the University of—_WOAH!_ You're going to London, mutt!" The redhead screamed, slapping Natsuki's back repeatedly.

Natsuki's jaw was still locked as she stared at Kazumi's ecstatic grin. She apparently found it difficult to digest the news.

"Congratulations, Natsuki! I'm so happy for you!" Kazumi pulled the young blunette into a tight bear hug. Only then did Natsuki finally get her head wrapped around the whole thing, and started laughing excitedly.

"And to remind you again... Shizuru doesn't know about this." Kazumi said, arching one brow as if giving a grim reminder to Natsuki, "As much as I wanted to celebrate this later tonight, I don't think Shi-chan will appreciate the idea of you going away. She has grown more attached to you than me..."

Natsuki rubbed her nose, inhaling sharply, "I know... but she'll be upset."

Kazumi patted Natsuki's head tenderly, smiling, "You have to tell her. Make her understand. She wouldn't listen to me anyway even if I tried." Kazumi smiled more at the sight of Natsuki's worried frown.

"She'll come around quickly. I know she will. I know that you care about her, but life goes on, right? I can't let us be the ones to hold you back."

Natsuki nodded her head hesitantly.

"We'll talk to her together." Kazumi added, taking Natsuki's hand and giving it a firm squeeze.

* * *

It wasn't just Shizuru. Natsuki herself had also grown attached to the brunette in turn. This little family they had, it was more than enough of a reason for her to stay but she wanted to change the life they were living. She wanted to be able to give everything both Kazumi and Shizuru needed one day— if the price was going away for years, it would still be worth it.

Natsuki had grown accustomed to a life that held no meaning, no direction and certainly with no guidance from the early age of seven and onwards. She had lost count of the many times she had been forced to move from one foster care to another, changing schools as often as the seasons turned each year. That was the reason why she never had any friends. When she finally got the authority over herself and her money, she decided to move away from all the people who claimed to be her 'family', but dug through her trust fund as their own and left her with roughly the same allowance as a minimal wage cleaner.

At the age of fifteen, she had to pay for her school, apartment, food and all of the other expenses by herself. If only money would grow on trees, she wouldn't have cared much about having a job to cover the declining zeros in her account. It was at that time she met Nao and her uncle, who ran a workshop in the small town called Fuuka. He was kind enough to train her from scratch and finally took her for a job—she had been working there since.

The only problem was that her apartment was a huge distance away from the town, and since it was too far to commute, she decided to let it go and stay in the workshop instead. There was a small room right upstairs, which used to be a store room, and she found it incredibly comfortable despite the cramp space she had to deal with.

Then, one fateful afternoon, her life was changed forever. It only took one broken down car and a little fixing—she got herself a lifetime offer of living for free in the Fujino's household, at the price of being a personal tutor of one particular brunette. She had been living with them for four years. She finally came to understand how it felt like to have a family again—returning to a place that she could call 'home'.

To have someone waiting for you every day at the door, and with the brightest smile she had ever seen in her life,

"Welcome home, Natsuki!"

* * *

"Natsuki is all smiles. Did something good happened?"

"No. I'm not going to tell you."

"Ara... Natsuki is stingy!" Shizuru pouted, clasping her book closed as she glared at the grinning blunette. Natsuki's insistent grinning somehow ticked her off. Shizuru began to crawl on her hands and knees around the coffee table to where Natsuki was sitting on the tatami floor. When she got in front of her, she held her stare, unblinking until Natsuki groaned in frustration, throwing her arms in the air, finally giving up.

"Okay! I'll tell you! But you have to promise me that you won't get angry!"

Shizuru frowned again in confusion, but she quickly nodded her head a few times, "Okay. I promise!"

Natsuki seemed to hesitate at the moment as she took a deep breath and stared at Shizuru's gleaming eyes, "Just please don't get mad at me..."

Shizuru started to feel a little worried, "I promise, I won't! Just tell me what it is!"

Natsuki bit her lower lip, reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a piece of folded envelope. She looked at it for a few seconds before she handed it over to Shizuru.

"Is this our marriage certificate?"

"Please be serious, Shizuru!"

Shizuru chuckled lightly as she unfolded the paper. Natsuki was squirming on the floor. She studied every inch of Shizuru's expression from the very moment Shizuru started reading the paper. The curve of Shizuru's smile slowly disappeared as she inaudibly mouthed out the content of the letter. Her thin brows slowly creased into a soft frown; crimson eyes widening slightly as she reached the end.

There was a silence in the room. Natsuki fiddled at the hem of her sweatshirt as she watched Shizuru fold the paper up slowly, handing it back to her.

"Shizuru?"

"My English is still not that good..." Shizuru pressed her lips, inhaling sharply, "Please explain it to me." Those crimson eyes were stern, her gaze locked on Natsuki. Shivers were running down her spine as their eyes met—Natsuki had to look away. Silence engulfed them almost immediately.

"In two weeks..." Natsuki paused, "I'll be going to London."

Natsuki could hear the hitched breaths coming from the young brunette. Those eyes were glistening under the dimmed light—Natsuki knew that Shizuru wasn't crying yet, but she was getting there. Shizuru rarely cried in any situation. She was the strongest-willed girl she had ever met in her life. Natsuki had to admit that she used to cry a lot when she was around Shizuru's age and she believed it had made her even stronger. Shizuru had endured so much, yet the young brunette still had this smile plastered on her face even when Natsuki knew Shizuru was hurting inside.

"But you promised." Shizuru's voice was cracking.

Natsuki lowered her head, avoiding eye contact.

"I know..."

"Then why...?"

"I have my reasons..." Natsuki got on her feet and was ready to walk out the room when a hand grasped tightly around her arm. She turned to look and found those crimson eyes already brimming with tears—she felt her insides slowly crumbling and it was painful.

"Please, stay..."

"I just want to go grab some water..."

"You know exactly what I meant..."

Natsuki was silenced by the low, heartbroken tone coming from Shizuru. Shaking her head slightly, Natsuki walked back to her previous spot and quietly sat on it. She tugged at Shizuru's hand, which was grasping ever so tightly around hers, as if she would to disappear at any moment if she were to loosen her grip only for a second.

"Come here." Natsuki patted the tatami floor, beckoning the brunette to sit in front of her. Shizuru seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then she silently shifted closer and settled, facing the older girl. They were quiet for the next few minutes until Natsuki took out the letter again and unfolded it before them.

"An opportunity... of a lifetime." Natsuki started, grazing a finger along the letterhead, "A wish... and a dream come true for me." She said, eyeing the brunette, who slowly nodded her head.

"You've always said that I need to follow my dream. Never settle." Natsuki's lips curved up a soft smile, "So, this is it. This is my dream. Someday, you're going to have it too and I'll be there to support you all the way!"

"But what if my dream is _you_...?"

That definitely took Natsuki off guard. Something was stuck inside her throat and she found herself losing the ability to speak momentarily. Shizuru's eyes found hers—she wasn't going to lie; those crimson eyes were validating the words and it somewhat scared her.

"You're nine years old, Shizuru! You have one hell of a long journey to get through. I'm not going to be the one holding you back from all your dreams. Go grab them. Go meet new people. Make new friends. Have fun!"

Natsuki watched as Shizuru's knuckles turned white on her lap. The young brunette clearly harboured a lot of doubts about the idea.

"It's not going to be fun without you—"

"—Yes, I know I promised to stay but not forever..."

Shizuru snapped her head up, tears already spilling out her eyes. Natsuki reached out, a hand cupping Shizuru's cheek, wiping the drops gently.

"I'm not going to judge you for what you feel. I won't say that what you feel for me is childish, immature or something what other people might say 'crush' or 'puppy love.' Feelings are complicated. They are subjective, indescribable even. You're the only one who bears that feeling and no one gets the right to judge you."

"To clarify, you're saying that you're not in love with me?" Shizuru sobbed, tugging at Natsuki's hand. The warmth was inviting; she rested her head against the palm whilst hugging the arm.

Natsuki chuckled, somewhat amazed by the words coming from Shizuru's mouth. The simplicity of her way of thinking was one of the qualities she wished she could still have as she grew older. She got herself to blame for over thinking too much sometimes. Maybe it was because life had trained her to be like that.

"Love is a heavy word to carry and I think it would be unfair if I simply threw that word at you. I would rather say that I've grown attached to you. I think it would feel odd not having you around me, but I'm an adult and I'm going to do what an adult is supposed to do in this relationship that we have."

Shizuru seemed to calm down as her tears subsided, "You want us to end?"

"Hell no! There will be no end on us." Natsuki laughed as she pulled the young girl into a hug—Shizuru chuckled happily. "There's no end. I don't want you to forget me. I don't want to be forgotten and I don't think I would ever forget you. You are special to me! But I want you to move on."

They stayed in each others' arms comfortably, listening to their calm breaths—it almost made Shizuru doze off.

"I don't mind if your feelings changed one day. Knowing that I was once important to you, is more than enough."

Shizuru jerked her head back and shook it vigorously, "They won't change! I promise you that my feelings for you will never change!" Her chestnut hair swished left and right with the movement. Natsuki just chuckled as she patted the small head.

"I'm glad to hear it... But, what if one day I'm going to marry someone—"

"—I will not let it happen! I proposed to you first! Nobody but me will ever get you! _You're_ _mine!_"

_Her voice was cracking but she didn't cry. I saw her smile—the most beautiful I had ever seen. She spoke words; her promise to me. The one I did not know she would keep until now._

"I'll be waiting. Don't you dare to forget me!"

_I always knew she was one stubborn brat. I just didn't know the extent of her stubbornness._

"I won't!"

_But those were the words I said twelve years ago. Through time—and struggles over my own matters—I had totally forgotten about that promise._

_I forgot about a nine-year-old girl named Shizuru Fujino._

* * *

**Okay, review anyone? ^_^**


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi everyone!_

_Bye everyone!_

_A huge shout out to my beta, Cornelia! Thank you for helping me out!_

Disclaimer: I don't own Mai Hime.

* * *

**For You, 12 Years From Now and Counting.**

**Chapter 4**

"Okay. That's how it's done. Did you get it?"

"Hmm… no. My calculation seems off from yours." She scratched her forehead with a pencil and groaned, "This is so hard…"

"Well, you got an exam this Monday. No slacking off!"

Natsuki chuckled at the angry glare she received. Tenderly patting the blonde head, Natsuki got off the chair and walked to the door.

"Let's take a break. Do you want me to get you some juice, Alyssa?"

The young blonde rapidly nodded her head, a pair of cerulean blue eyes glimmering brilliantly under the light. Natsuki giggled at the reaction; child-like and absolutely adorable.

"Okay. Yours would be just a glass of orange juice while mine would be milkshake, a slice of cheese cake—"

"—Wait! Why do I only get a juice while you're going to have a buffet of desserts? It's not fair!" Alyssa jumped off her chair but Natsuki had already dashed out of the room and down the stairs, laughing.

* * *

"Are you really going back to Japan for this Christmas?"

"Yup. I missed it last year. I can't miss it this year!"

Alyssa pouted as she lazily scooped the ice-cream, "Boo! You're boring!"

"Boring, _right_… You love it when I'm away, don't you? So that you can get all your private time with Miyu…"

It didn't take long for Alyssa's face to blush brilliantly at Natsuki's words—Natsuki wiggled her eyebrows at the flustered face, earning her a flat slap across her left arm.

"We're just friends!"

"And yet _we_ kissed under the mistletoe—_Mmph~!_"

Alyssa's jaw dropped almost instantly. She bolted up from her chair, lunging forward and covering Natsuki's mouth. Natsuki was laughing but the sound was muffled by the palm pressed firmly over her lips.

"How much did you see?" Alyssa was blushing so hard, her ears went red too.

Natsuki arched one brow, tapping at the hand covering her mouth. Alyssa reluctantly loosened her hand and found Natsuki was grinning widely.

"Where do you want me to start? Oh, how about from the 'scene' in the back seat of the car?"

"NOOOOOO~! Pervert!"

Alyssa shrieked, throwing multiple slaps across Natsuki's arms and shoulders. Natsuki had to duck her head, shielding her face from getting hit by slap and punch combos—but she just couldn't stop laughing.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to watch you guys doing 'it'—"

"We didn't do anything!" Alyssa's arms were flailing, as if emphasizing her words, earning more laughs from Natsuki.

"Okay! I believe you." Natsuki relented.

"No, you're not."

"Why not?"

"Because you're giving me that smile!"

Alyssa pointed an accusatory finger, so close to Natsuki's face—specifically at the crooked smile on Natsuki's lips. Natsuki had to press her lips together from bursting into more laughs which would surely cause her one week of silent treatment from the blonde.

As soon as Alyssa went back to her chair, Natsuki handed over a slice of cheese cake as a peace offering. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Alyssa addressed the older girl.

"Don't tell father about this…"

"Why?" Natsuki frowned at the request.

Alyssa bit the inside of her cheek, poking the cake with a fork, "I don't think he would be fond of the idea of me dating his butler's daughter."

Natsuki dropped the spoon she used to scoop ice-cream into an empty cup.

"I think it'll be alright."

"What?"

Natsuki paused, reaching for a glass of cold water and taking a sip. Her throat was coated with too much sugar in one night, she needed to unclog them from her system as soon as possible.

"Because he already knows."

Natsuki watched as the colour on Alyssa's face drained—she felt like laughing again.

"And no, I didn't say anything. He found out about it by himself." Natsuki clarified before Alyssa could say anything, "You've got yourself to blame this time for randomly kissing Miyu while doing your homework out in the garden the other day."

"Oh my god…" Alyssa groaned, pressing her knuckles against her temples. Natsuki's insistent grin did nothing to ease her worry.

"Relax." Natsuki reassured, "It's not like he was angry or anything…"

Alyssa's eyes brightened instantly, "He's not?"

Natsuki shook her head, smiling, "I don't think Sir Alex would get angry over something like that. From what I've heard, he's always liked Miyu. Maybe you need to give him some kind of explanation though."

"But I'm pretty sure he would get angry at you if he heard that…"

Natsuki blinked at the grin Alyssa was wearing, "What?"

"He asked you to stop calling him 'sir', right?"

Natsuki went quiet for a moment, smiling shyly, "Ah, that… It might take a while… I'm still not used to it…"

Alyssa chuckled at the flustered face—extremely rare but undeniably cute. No wonder her father took liking of her at the very first moment they met.

"Well, you better get used to it…" Alyssa smiled more, "Because we're family now, right?"

* * *

"Do you really need to go?"

"Do you really need to ask me that when I am no more than two meters away from the check-in counter?"

Alyssa pouted, her hands still tugging at the hem of Natsuki's jacket. Sometimes, she had to remind herself that this girl was 16 years old, no matter how young she acted.

"How much time do we have?"

Natsuki lifted her wrist to look at the time, "Around 45 minutes."

"Enough time to cancel the flight!"

"Are you kidding me!?" Natsuki snapped her head around, finding Alyssa with a grin plastered across her face.

"Is she so important that you need to go back and celebrate her birthday?"

Alyssa's tone was filled with obvious jealousy—it was endearing.

"Actually her birthday was on the 19th. Well, it's better late than never."

"Is she cute?"

"Yes, very."

"Cuter than me?" Her tone had dropped to dangerous range—Natsuki knew just the way to tick the blonde off.

"Yes, ver—"

"Okay! Just stay in Japan! Don't bother coming back here!"

Natsuki just laughed at the outburst, at the pout Alyssa was wearing. Alyssa made a face, poking her tongue out, but said nothing in response as Natsuki continued to laugh. They slowly fell into silence. The departure hall was fairly busy, the noise floating around like they were in a flea market.

"She turned 11 this year."

Natsuki was expecting Alyssa to ask more about the person in question but she received a disgusted look instead.

"Eww… I didn't know you're such a pedobear!"

"Oh my god! It is not what you think! She's like a little sister to me!"

"Oh really?" Her tone was somewhere in between relief and being disbelief with a tiny hint of jealousy.

Natsuki nodded her head a few times, smiling widely, "Yup. Funny thing is, the way I met them was exactly how I met you. Coincidence, yeah?"

Alyssa smiled, shaking her head, disagreeing, "No. It was fate."

Natsuki couldn't help but smiling more at the words—it brought this pleasant warmth inside her chest. Then she noticed a man running in their direction from some distance away. Natsuki instantly recognized him. She stood up from her seat as soon as the man stopped a few steps away from them—chest heaving and his brow blank with sweat.

"Father? I thought you couldn't make it!" Alyssa quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped the older man's sweaty forehead. The middle-aged man just grinned, breathing heavily as he smoothed down blonde hair, a bit unruly from his run.

"Thank god I made it. How many hours does it take to get to Japan, Natsuki?"

"Around 12 hours, I guess."

The older man nodded his head a few times as he took out his wallet.

"Whoa, wait! What is this?" Natsuki backed away slightly when he offered her a few bills, holding them in both hands.

"Your Christmas present. Since you can't celebrate it with us this year, take this to buy your own present." He grinned, again trying to give the money to Natsuki

"No, I can't do that, sir—"

"—Hey, what did I tell you?"

Natsuki seemed to be taken aback at the question and blushed instantly. She shifted her gaze to Alyssa—the blonde girl was grinning sheepishly and it wasn't helping. She felt embarrassed. She had never been treated this way. She wondered if she truly deserved the kindness and love she received from both Shizuru's and Alyssa's family. She wished she had met them earlier to spare her those years of living hell, moving around from one foster care to another.

Keeping a firm hold on her composure, Natsuki shook off her need to cry and smiled instead.

"Thank you so much, father."

The man grinned, outstretching his hand and patted at her head, "That sounds better. No more 'Sir Alex', okay? You're my daughter now. Taking care of you is the least I can do as your mother's best friend" He paused, his smile somewhat sad, "Promise us that you will come back soon?"

Natsuki was more than willing to do so. Having two places to call 'home' now, she she felt an overwhelming gratefulness

"I promise."

* * *

Jet lag.

One of the things she had learnt to hate it with a passion. Furthermore, she was deprived of sleep by the man in the seat next to her—he was snoring so loudly that the noise disturbed the rhythm of every song in her mp3 player. After 12 hours of flight, she really needed to find a place to lie down and rest.

Splashing water to her face, she sighed loudly, completely ignoring the stares she collected from the other women in that washroom. She reached for a paper towel and dabbed her face dry. Tilting her head up, looked herself over and quickly noticed the small, shiny lightning-like hair pin slipped right above her left ear. It was a gift from Alyssa moments before she checked in, as an early Christmas present, she said, given the fact that they couldn't spend their Christmas together this year.

Natsuki ran a finger over the metallic surface, "This must have been really expensive…" she muttered to herself. Raising her wrist, she looked at her watch. 8.45 pm.

She glanced outside the washroom windows—it was snowing. Her lips curved up into a smile.

It was good to be back home.

* * *

Loud noises could be heard coming from the door. A mixture of boisterous laughs and blaring music—she decided to put more strength behind her knocks. Now she was banging at the door for the third time, her knuckles starting to numb.

It was freezing—she could barely feel her ears. She should've bought a pair of ear muff earlier at the airport. She rubbed her palms together to generate some heat. Her foggy breath obscured her view and she could feel her nose getting stuffy.

"What are they doing—"

Natsuki almost jumped when the door suddenly being shoved open from the inside and there stood one crimson haired girl, staring at her with a look of obvious bafflement on her face. Natsuki instinctively took three steps back at the sight of unfamiliar face and frowned.

"O—oh? I thought you were the pizza guy…"

Her speech was slurred. The stench coming from her mouth gave enough hint that the girl was drunk.

"I'm looking for Fujino Kazumi and her daughter. Are they here?"

"Fujino?"

"Yes!"

To her surprise, the crimson haired girl yelled out a name, "Mai! Someone's here to see you!"

_Mai?_ But she was looking for Fujino and she was sure as hell she had mentioned it loud and clear. After a moment, one orange haired girl popped out at the hallway, a surprised look on her face as she pulled the drunk girl away from the door.

"Geez, Midori-chan... Slow down with the alcohol, will you?" She shooed the crimson haired girl away. Midori managed to give a wink at a confused Natsuki before stumbling her way back into the house.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

Natsuki gritted her teeth quietly, "Maybe your friend heard it all wrong... I'm looking for Fujino Kazumi and her daughter, Shizuru. Are they here?"

There was a short silence as Natsuki watched the other girl frown and shake her head.

"Fujino? But we don't have anyone with that name here..."

The reply almost made her heart stop.

"Oh? Did they move out? Do you have their new address?"

Mai smiled apologetically, shaking her head twice, "I'm afraid not because when I first got here six months ago, the house was already empty. It's just the four of us here. We're the students of Fuuka University."

The news was a shock to her. Multiple thoughts instantly ran through her mind—why did they move? Did something happen? Where were they? How were they doing now? With whom did they live?

"I see... Well, sorry for bothering you. Thanks—"

"Wait!"

Natsuki turned halfway around to look at the girl over her shoulder. Mai was smiling, still, beckoning her to get into the house.

"I still keep all the letters addressed to the names you mentioned earlier. Would you like to have them?"

Natsuki didn't realize how eager her expression was—Mai was chuckling as she pushed the door open wide, welcoming her in. Natsuki stepped into the house and closed the door—warmth instantly seeped into her, thawing the coldness she had felt earlier. Loud music could be heard coming from across the corridor, from the living room, she presumed. _Are they having a party here?_

"Sorry. We're having a Christmas Eve party here. Please ignore the mess." Mai said with a giggle, "Make yourself at home while I look for those letters."

_It _is_ my home..._ Natsuki gave a curt nod and Mai left with a promise that she would make it quick. Once the girl disappeared from her sight, Natsuki did a once-over around the hallway and stared longingly at the stairs which led to her and Shizuru's room—no, those girls' room—a bunch of strangers who started living in this house six months ago.

She felt her hands trembling and it certainly wasn't because of the cold. Taking a deep breath, Natsuki took the few steps into the kitchen and was surprised at the sight that met her eyes. It was different. The arrangement had changed, the curtains, tablecloth, everything was brightly coloured. Her eyes involuntarily twitched at the sight. She didn't like it bright. She liked it the way it used to be.

Beer cans and empty bottles were scattered across the table—Natsuki felt a sudden anger spark inside of her. A place she used to call home was now tainted by some stupid college students. She no longer felt home, it was no longer welcoming. She felt her chest starting to constrict, suffocating her.

"Okay! Here are the letters—"

"Thanks!"

Natsuki didn't wait long as she quickly put her boots back on. The suffocating sensation had not left her chest and throat. She needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

"Hey, it's snowing. You can stay for a while if you want to—"

"No, it's okay. Thanks for the offer."

* * *

"How the hell didn't you know they had left town?"

"I was too busy and I was unaware of that..."

"I asked you to look after them!"

"Then why didn't you do it yourself!? I'm not their parents! I've got my own things to take care of, okay?!"

"Your uncle told me that they left with someone! Who is this someone!?"

"How am I supposed to know!? It could be Santa Claus for all I know!"

Her presence was unannounced. No pleasantries exchanged—they went straight to the yelling.

"Seriously... If you came back here just to bark at my face, I'm willing to buy you a plane ticket so that you can get your ass back to London. I appreciate that you want to celebrate Christmas together with me, so thank you, but no thank you!"

Nao dropped onto the sofa right across from where Natsuki was standing. She hung her head low, softly sighing and pressing her knuckles against her temples to ease her sudden headache.

With guilt trespassing her heart, Natsuki mentally berated herself for getting lost in the heat of her anger. She really shouldn't yell at Nao when the redhead was just as clueless and unaware of the situation as herself was. Her gaze floated around the crooks of the workshop; nothing had changed very much. It was with a hint of melancholy that her thoughts wandered back to the past. Living with Nao was one of the best times of her life and if given the chance, she would love to have that again.

Now she started to question herself further—how could she even think of hurting the one person who had been standing right beside her when the world was nothing but a nightmare?

"You should've told me..."

"I was in Tokyo, studying, just like you asked me to. And I'm sorry because, yes, I admit that I wasn't paying much attention to them. I thought they were doing well."

Nao sighed again, shaking her head. She didn't lift her head up. She didn't dare doing so as long as she thought the blunette was still angry with and she just didn't want to cause further drama.

Natsuki threw her head back, staring up at the ceiling. She rested her right arm over her eyes as she aimlessly splayed all the letters she had been given earlier across the coffee table, alerting Nao to lift up her head and look. Nao collected them and read—they were all addressed to one particular person.

"Are they—"

"Yeah..."

They were letters from Natsuki. She had sent one every month ever since she had arrived in London. Never once had she neglected to write them monthly updates of her life—pictures of her apartment, University's ground, the Bulgarian Spring in Hyde Park, Big Ben, London Eye. She knew Shizuru loved Ferris wheels very much and in the letters she promised to bring Shizuru there one day.

Now she knew why she hadn't gotten any reply from them.

"Why did they leave...? Everyone's left... Dad, Mom... Shizuru..."

It had been a while—years to be exact since the last she had seen Natsuki cry. If this situation had been anything close to normal, Nao would have made fun of her endlessly.

"Hey-hey! We'll look for them, okay? My uncle knows some people who probably could help us out! We'll look for them!" Nao pulled at Natsuki's arms and hugged her close. She was unsure of what she needed to do to comfort her best friend. Natsuki rarely needed comfort but this was the least she could do—even though she knew it didn't help that much.

"We will find them. I promise..."

* * *

A text message was sent—she really didn't want to cause too much hassle but Alyssa had just been too stubborn, insisting on picking Natsuki up at the airport. Thank god she had at least managed to buy her own plane ticket even though Sir Alex had offered to buy her a seat in first class. She had it prepared with the money she had earned by working part-time. After staying in London for a year, she finally had the time and money to fly back to Japan, but all her effort had turned out to be wasted.

She opened the small box in her hand—it was a silver ring with an amethyst gem attached. It was supposed to have been Shizuru's birthday present. She wanted to replace the plastic ring they bought long ago, with a real one, even though it wasn't really a wedding ring. She had bought it a few days before she flew back to Japan, and since she wasn't sure of how much Shizuru had grown she had brought a silver necklace along with the ring. They came in a cheap package offer, so if the ring didn't fit Shizuru could wear the necklace instead.

She smiled silently at her own thoughts. So many things had happened that she had no idea where to start untangling her messy feelings. Nao had sent her off with a promise that she would find a way to look for Shizuru and Kazumi. It wasn't like she didn't trust her best friend, but maybe it was fated after all? Because she had met Alyssa and Alex, now she had to lose both Shizuru and Kazumi.

If it really was a fate, why did it have to be so cruel?

"Did you wait long?"

Natsuki lifted her head, finding a young blonde girl standing a few feet away from where she was seated. With a bright smile on her face, Alyssa waved ecstatically, and Natsuki forgot all the sadness from moments before at the very sight of that smile.

_At least she's here to stay..._

* * *

Natsuki gave an empty smile before studying each of the faces that had begun to crowd before the burial site. They were mostly composed of Alyssa's family and close friends, along with a few of her own friends she had personally asked to attend, and some she didn't recognize.

Someone placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Natsuki turned to find Haruka without a smile. The blonde was one of the acquaintances she made at the university in four years of her studies. Starting off as classmates, Natsuki found that the boisterous blonde was very similar to her redhead best friend back in Japan—headstrong and brutally honest—except that she spoke very politely in comparison to Nao's sassy way of speaking.

Someone was tugging at her left arm—it was Alyssa. That 19 years old blonde had a few traces of tears down her face, and Natsuki immediately noticed.

"It's starting. Let's go."

Natsuki nodded and turned to Haruka—the blonde gave a knowing smile, so they left.

"Are you okay?" Natsuki asked, feeling the grip around her arm tightened as their steps led them closer to the burial plot. Alyssa didn't answer right away, instead hugging Natsuki's arm as tears started to well in her eyes again.

_Wrong question_. She patted the trembling arms reassuringly—she just wasn't sure who she was trying to comfort; Alyssa's or her own aching heart.

As soon as they arrived at the consecration ground, the minister nodded his head to Natsuki, as if asking for a permission. After quickly nodding her head in response, the burial service started.

Farewell was indeed the saddest word in any language. Like the waving of a white flag, the lowered coffin meant surrender—their journey's end, their quests left unfinished, their stories untold, and their secrets undisclosed.

Natsuki looked at the headstone;

_In Loving Memory of __Alexander Searrs_

_(1951 - Present Date)_

_Here lies a beloved Husband, Father, Son and Leader_

Natsuki didn't like the thought of having the year of his death carved into the stone. To her and to Alyssa, especially, he was still alive, living in the memories and on the journeys both her and Alyssa had to make in the future. To Natsuki, this event was like a deja vu. She had faced it twice in her life; the first was her father when she was four and her mother's three years later.

The minister started speaking.

Only then did Natsuki notice Alyssa was no longer with her.

* * *

The girl found herself on a bench not too far away from the burial site. She shivered as the bitter winds brushed past her—the smell of moss and dew hung heavy in the breeze. It had stopped raining, but she didn't care. In fact, she didn't care about anything at all.

Alyssa just wanted her best friend back—her father.

She was on the brink of having another anxiety attack when she felt arms encircled right above her chest, pulling her to rest against something—or someone in particular. She was familiar with the scent, the gentle arms around her and the warm breath against her scalp, but it quickly brought her back to tears.

"Miyu—"

"Just cry. I'm here..."

Alyssa cried freely now, clutching at the arms so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

* * *

"Hey."

"Hey..."

Natsuki took a seat at the vacant spot right beside the blonde. She idly flung her legs back and forth, watching people leaving the burial grounds one by one.

"How do you address someone who is older than you?"

"What?"

Alyssa sniffed, "I mean in the Japanese language..."

Natsuki was a bit startled by the question, but she answered it anyway, "You can always add '-san'. It's a generic honorific and also gender-neutral. Or you can call them with 'senpai'. That one is mostly used to seniors at schools or at work."

"How about among family?"

Natsuki was getting more confused as she watched Alyssa's solemn face, "Well, you can say 'onii-chan' to big brother and 'onee-chan' to an older sister."

There was a short silence between both of them as they as they looked towards where the headstone was placed.

"I see. So, can I call you Natsuki nee-chan?"

Natsuki was surprised by the request and couldn't help but smile at the sight of happy grin on Alyssa's face. She nodded, "I would love that."

Alyssa continued to grin even as she sniffed slightly, taking Natsuki's hand into hers, "You're not going to leave me, right?"

"No, I'm not." Natsuki chuckled, pulling the younger girl into a hug.

"I'll stay."

* * *

_Okay... review please?_


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